


Whatever it Takes

by capmarvel



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Bottom Tony Stark, Evil Steve Rogers, Hurt No Comfort, Hydra (Marvel), Hydra Steve Rogers, Kidnapped Tony Stark, Kidnapping, M/M, Protective Steve Rogers, Psychological Torture, Tony Feels, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Top Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-04-16
Packaged: 2020-01-07 04:43:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18403337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/capmarvel/pseuds/capmarvel
Summary: Steve's determined to reclaim Tony as he takes over the world. It's a smart move to stop the resistance as it begins. Even better if he can get the one he loves by his side again.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Your classic Hyrda!Steve kidnaps Tony

Steve paced angrily around his dimly lit office as he tried to process the information that was coming to him. His hands shook in rage, and his chest puffed with each deep breath he took to try and calm down. It really shouldn’t have been as difficult as it was proving to be, but obviously, he hadn’t picked the right people for the job. Honestly, how hard was it to pick up a single individual, one that wasn’t even enhanced in any way?

He’d been after Tony for months now. Ever since Siberia, Steve had focused on rebuilding HYDRA from the ashes that were left. The organisation was almost unrecognisable from what it used to be, carefully reshaped under his leadership. After the whole drama with the Accords, and the failure of international governments to understand the need for earth’s protection, Steve had decided to take matters into his own hands. Slowly, yet effectively, he’d begun to infiltrate national governments, putting in place operatives that were quietly reforming how countries were ruled. The movements were subtle, so as not to draw any attention, but they were working, and they’d gotten well past the halfway point. 

He’d had help of course. It wasn’t hard to get the Avengers who had sided with him over the accords to join him, and Bucky had naturally become his second-in-command. As much as it displeased him to do so, he’d kept the name of the organisation, to ensure that those who’d previously worked for it would stay on. Not everyone had left after the collapse of SHIELD, instead remaining a bunch of separate cells that were struggling for leadership. Now though, HYDRA worked as a fully operational network, on its way to unstoppable. 

Of course, though, the ever-present thorn in his side was forcing its way up again. Steve had tried to ignore the man, and his feelings for him, for the sake of his quest, but Tony Stark was becoming suspicious. Steve was almost impressed that he was starting to catch on, but his concern over the potential countermeasures he was starting to take was forcing his hand. By keeping tabs on the man over the two years since the whole Accords debacle, he’d taken note of the small force of individuals he was rounding up. On top of that, he’d only been showing just a little bit too much interest in foreign elections and politics for Steve to ignore.

So, Steve knew it was only a matter of time before Tony started to present a more serious threat. Best to get in early and stop the resistance before it got much further. No doubt Tony would be the head of it, so Steve hoped that by stopping him, he’d be stopping any opposition altogether. He knew that Tony was still unaware of his, and the ex-Avengers’, role in the slow takeover, but again, he knew that wouldn’t remain the case forever. Therefore, he’d spent the past four months trying to get his hands on the man, but either Tony was proving too smart, or maybe Steve’s men were just incompetent. It was probably a mix of the two, but Steve was beginning to realise that he was going to have to step up his efforts. All these failed attempts had only made Tony more aware of the target on his back. 

So, tonight, once more, his men had failed to bring Tony to him. They’d planned an operation involving breaking into the compound and grabbing him during the night. Only the built-up paranoia had meant that Stark had upped the building’s security and the man knew they were at the building before they had even entered it. The ensuing battle had meant more than half the men on the operation had failed to return, and once again he didn’t have Tony where he should be. They were getting too obvious in their attempts, and Steve knew he needed much more capable individuals on the job.

* * *

A sharp knock on the timber of the door jolted Steve out of his thoughts. He scowled angrily at the intrusion, too frustrated to deal with any more interaction tonight. It was way too late for him to have the patience needed for a conversation, particularly one with any relation to the failure that tonight’s mission was. 

“What?” He bit out, trying to out as much venom and irritation into his tone. He hoped he’d scare whoever it was enough to make this short. 

The door opened quickly, a dark silhouette appearing inside the room. “Hey, Punk, watch your tone.”

Steve sighed, half in relief and half in annoyance at the appearance of Bucky. Whilst he wasn’t particularly in the mood to see anyone, if he was going to have to endure anyone’s presence, he was glad it was his. Of course, he’d never let anyone else survive taking such an attitude with him. Steve ran his eyes over the man, taking in the blood that stained his now matte black arm, and the rest of his dark suit. With the forced removal of his arm in Siberia, Bucky had been stuck with three limbs until Steve had found someone with enough intelligence to create a new one. Of course, it still fell short of what Steve expected Tony could create, but it did its job well enough. The new colour palette helped with stealth when needed, no longer shining under light. 

“Bucky, I’m not in the mood for this right now. Just let me know you’ve done what I asked you to, then you can go.”

“They’ve been taken care of, and those in charge have been disposed of.”

“Good, everyone needs to know that I won’t be accepting anymore failure. Tonight was a mess. Anyway, since that’s everything taken care of, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Steve expected the man to turn away at that, to leave him to wallow in his self-pity and anger for the rest of the night. Only the form stayed still, not even flinching as Steve’s brow furrowed and his gaze darkened. 

“What?”

Bucky hesitated at the question, only angering Steve further.

“You’re still standing here, so obviously you’ve got something else to report. Spit it out, I don’t have it in me for you to be wasting my time right now.”

Bucky weighed up his options, before finally speaking. “Stark’s was spotted last Sunday with that boy again, the one from Queens. He was dropping him off at his apartment block on the quieter side of town.”

Steve ground his teeth as Bucky spoke. Yes, he knew all about Peter Parker after he’d noticed Tony spending an unusual amount of time with the orphan boy. It didn’t take him long to connect the dots and realise that the sixteen-year-old was an enhanced individual, the one who paraded around as the web-slinging vigilante that he’d met in Berlin. The close relationship between the two had been one of the first indicators of Tony’s plan to build a new team. He tried to ignore the flare-up of jealousy he felt at the thought of Tony developing a close relationship with anyone but him. The feeling wasn’t new, and he’d barely been able to contain his joy when Tony’s paranoia about someone being after him had created a divide so deep between him and Pepper that their engagement had fallen through. 

“And? This isn’t exactly an uncommon occurrence. I don’t doubt your intelligence enough to believe that you think this is of any kind of importance. Why are you bringing it up?” Steve’s barely-there patience was already running out. He’d dealt with enough stupidity tonight alone, to last him the rest of his life. 

Bucky sighed before continuing. “They’re developing a routine, one that’s not hard to follow. The kid gets picked up by Happy every Friday after school and is dropped home at the same time every Sunday evening.” It said enough about the comfort of the relationship that Tony was foolish enough to be so predictable, but Steve hadn’t been informed of quite how obvious he’d been acting. “Stark’s been with him each ride for the past six weeks, and it’s only him, the kid and Happy. He isn’t bringing a suit either, well not a full one anyway. This is the most exposed we’ve seen him.”

Steve knew exactly what he was implying. “Why wasn’t I informed as soon as we realised this was happening, that we could know exactly where he was going to be at an exact time?”

“We weren’t sure enough that it would continue. It could have just happened when Stark was freed up enough. But it seems like he’s actually making time and clearing his schedule for this.”

“Okay, well next Sunday we’ll move in. That’s only two days away. Once he’s dropped the kid off, and there’s only two of him. This might just be our best chance yet...” Steve trailed off as suspicion crept into his mind. “Why were you so hesitant in telling me this?

“I’m not sure we should move in right away, Steve.” Bucky quickly held up his hand before Steve could interject. “He only started coming on the trips after we went after him on his trip to California, and then after our attempt at the charity gala, he started bringing those gauntlets. I don’t know what extra measures he’s going to start taking after tonight. I mean, it’s pretty obvious that this is personal now. And those men we lost tonight were wearing uniforms. He’ll see the symbol, he’ll know HYDRA is back up and running. I’m just thinking that we need to take a break for a while. Let him settle back in, and then once he lets his guard down and starts making mistakes again, we’ll be able to grab him.”

The rational part of Steve’s mind noted that what Bucky was saying made perfect sense. After every failed attempt, Tony had beefed up his security and taking a step back would be a strategic move. Only now, Steve wasn’t in a rational state-of-mind. He was pissed off and starting to get desperate. He wanted Tony _now_ , if not three months ago when they first attempted to take him. “I don’t have that kind of patience, Bucky. You know how much I need this.”

“Yeah, I do know, Steve. But I really think that it would be best to wait it out.”

“That’s not gonna happen, Buck. But we will step it up this time. I’m putting you in charge of bringing him in. No one else needs to get hurt, but you were right. He’ll know about HYDRA, and knowing Tony, it won’t be long before he runs his mouth. The risk of waiting is too high.”

Despite knowing that Steve was just making excuses, Bucky gave in. There would be no convincing him when he wanted Stark this badly. Bucky just sent a silent prayer that they’d be successful this time, not only for his own sake but for Steve’s as well. Every failed attempt brought him closer and closer to breaking point, and Bucky knew that he needed the right mindset to move forward with the rest of their plans. 

“Alright, Steve. We’ll bring him back to you.”

“You better…because I don’t know what I’m going to do if you don’t.”

* * *

Tony smiled gently at the head that had found its way into his lap on the long journey back from the compound. They’d really gone hard this weekend, upping the compound security and developing the kid’s suit. After the break-in on Friday night, it only became clearer to Tony that someone was after him. Someone who may or may not be from an organisation that Tony had been sure had fallen when SHIELD had. He feared that the attacks wouldn’t stop at him, so he was putting everything he could into making sure the boy was safe. That involved long days in the workshop, and only a few hours’ sleep scattered across the two days. Tony knew he was pushing the boy, but Peter never complained. Obviously, though, him falling asleep twenty minutes into the car ride was a sign that maybe he’d worked the kid a little bit too hard. 

Subconsciously, Tony let a hand run through the messy pile of curls that obstructed his view of the boy’s face. After the whole moving-day disaster, Tony had really taken to the boy and increased his role in Peter’s life. Despite his Aunt’s slight reluctance, he had him over at the compound every weekend, and usually quite frequently throughout the holidays as well. Last summer had involved a period of three weeks straight at the compound, where Peter was being trained during the morning, before working with Tony in the afternoon. He’d grown closer to Peter, to the point where he couldn’t really imagine his life without him. And a part of him, though he was hesitant to acknowledge it, knew that the boy felt the same way about him. His Aunt had said as much and continuously thanked Tony for stepping up as a father figure in Peter’s life, even if it meant that she had to take a step back.

The car gently rolled to a stop outside the apartment block, and Tony looked up in mild disdain. Whilst he didn’t look down on Peter and his Aunt for their financial situation, he’d offered a countless amount of times to move them somewhere better, safer. He didn’t like the idea of Peter being left vulnerable, particularly with the recent attacks that he’d been privy to. Of course, May had denied him time after time, refusing to accept his offer, clearly as an attempt to prove herself worthy as Peter’s guardian. Never had Tony doubted that, he had copious amounts of respect for the woman, but he couldn’t help the niggling feeling that they simply weren’t safe. 

As a result, he’d secretly set up cameras and alarm systems to monitor any and all activity, and to alert him of any suspicious behaviour. That’s not to mention the trackers he’d secretly installed in both of their devices, and the heightened surveillance of Peter’s activity in his suit. It had taken him a while to find a way to code it into the suit, hidden in an attempt to avoid a repeat of the situation in DC. 

Knowing that it was already getting late and that Peter had school in the morning (not to mention the fact that May would skin him alive if Peter got home much later), Tony carefully shook the boy’s shoulder. He knew that he was susceptible to nightmares and that suddenly waking him up was probably not a good idea. 

Slowly, heavy lids opened to reveal Peter’s soft brown eyes. He turned his head towards Tony, looking up from under his curls, his nose scrunched up in confusion. “M’s’er St’rk?” 

Tony smirked at the sluggishness in the boy’s voice, mentally filing away this image that caused a burst of warmth in his chest. “Yeah, bud, it’s me.”

“Where ’re we?” Peter slowly sat up and blinked a few times, before bringing his hands up and rubbing the heels of them into his eyes. 

“You fell asleep on the way back from the compound. We’re back to your place now.”

Tony didn’t say anything about the blush travelled up the boy’s neck and onto his cheeks at the statement, not wanting to embarrass him any further. Not that Tony found it embarrassing, but again, he wouldn’t admit to that. 

“Oh…Sorry about that Mister Stark.” Clearly, the embarrassment had woken him up fully, and he was now awkwardly straightening out his shirt, one with an awful maths pun on it, and looking anywhere but at Tony. 

“Hey, don’t worry about it, happens to the best of us.”

Peter seemed grateful for his attempt at comforting him but continued to fiddle nervously. 

“Alright, well I guess I’ll see you next week then. We need to work on the new shooters for your suit. Ones that won’t snap in half when you bang them on a door frame.”

Peter looked down sheepishly, but the tension in his shoulders eased a little at the change of subject. 

“Yeah, sorry about that. Thanks again, though, Mister Stark.”

The boy paused again, this time his hand resting gently on the door handle. Since Tony’s initial offer for Peter to join the Avengers full time, they’d slowly begun to introduce more physical affection into the relationship. It wasn’t uncommon for them to hug, or for Tony to sling an arm over his shoulder whilst they sat together. Peter, however, still seemed somewhat reluctant to initiate these moments, even though he seemed to enjoy them well enough. 

Tony cocked his head at the boy, before realising that he was going to have to be the one to start the hug. Just as he turned to do so, Peter flung himself into his arms, probably with a little bit too much force, since it knocked the wind completely out of Tony’s chest. It only lasted a second, with Peter pulling back as soon as he heard Tony wheezing. “Shoot, sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to d-”

“-Hey, Pete. It’s all good. Just took me by surprise a little there.” To prove a point, Tony pulled him back in for another embrace, smiling softly as Peter was quick to return it. This one wasn’t much longer, but that had more to do with the car that zoomed past where they were stopped than it did with anything else. 

Peter smiled up at him, before turning back to the door, and making a slow exit, slinging his duffle bag over one shoulder. “I’ll see you next week!” He called out before slamming the door and running over to his building’s entrance. 

“Yeah, see you then, Peter,” Tony whispered happily as he waited until Peter was inside before telling Happy to start the drive back.

* * *

They weren’t even five minutes into the drive before a heavy _thud_ against the side of the car had Happy slamming on the breaks. Tony was thrown forward, his arms going out at the last second, managing to brace against the headrest in front of him and saving him from a broken nose. Once he’d managed to right himself, he glanced over at Happy anxiously. They were in a poorly lit area of the city, and no other car was in sight. Tony had no idea what had hit them. 

Suddenly there was another blow to the car, this one from above where Tony sat, making him jump in his seat, and quickly reach for his briefcase that lay on the floor. His seatbelt, although it had done little to stop him from flying forwards earlier, was now locked and the case now lay just out of reach. He still tried, fingers brushing hopelessly against the handle, almost teasing him. 

He couldn’t help the yelp that left him as something smashed through the driver’s window and grabbed a hold of Happy’s neck from behind. Tony could only just make out what was going on from his outstretched position, making brief eye contact with his friend in the rear-view mirror, before the hand forced his head forwards into the steering wheel. 

Tony’s heart was now hammering against his rib-cage and he knew that he’d be almost passed out from pain if he’d still had the arc reactor in. As it was, a dull ache began to radiate, not at all helped by the sight of Happy getting knocked out. It didn’t take him long to realise that these were probably the same people that had been after him for months now and that with any witnesses and back up out of the way, they’d be coming for him now. 

Growing more desperate in his attempt to get to the case, Tony almost cried in relief as the buckle of his seatbelt finally gave way after his frantic pressing of the release mechanism. His body fell forwards without the restraint, and he made quick work of the lock on the case. Inside, two thin, silver bracelets lay gently in their display. He quickly shoved them onto each wrist, and almost instantly, his now sweat-drenched palms were encased in the thick armour of his suit’s gauntlets. Despite the protection they could over him, he cursed himself for not thinking to bring the whole suit with him. Oh well, he would have to make do with what he had. 

Only seconds after he had the gauntlets on, the same hand came through his window, showering his back in glass fragments. It reached around, feeling the air where Tony had been sitting only moments before. If he’d had more time, Tony might have taken note of the fact that it was a black, metallic arm that was reaching around, but instead, he just threw himself towards the other side of the car, fumbling for the handle. 

Once it gave way, and Tony quickly picked himself up from a rather ungracious exist, he quickly spun himself around to face his attacker. Unsurprisingly, the figure was dressed in all black, but his muscled silhouette let Tony know that they were indeed a male. Quickly, thinking through a rough strategy, Tony raised his hand and shot his repulsor towards the man. With a surprisingly gracious manoeuvre, however, the man rolled off the car, dodging the beam entirely. 

Gritting his teeth and realising that he was going to have to up his game, Tony charged towards the man. He clearly wasn’t expecting this, freezing for a moment too long, and getting hit in the side with the next shot Tony fired. The force of the blow sent him back into the car, breaking yet another window. The man stayed down longer than Tony was expecting though, making him lower his hand in confusion. Surely, one hit from his low-powered gloves wasn’t enough to cause this much damage. Tony probably should have paid more attention to the suspicious side of his mind.

As he made eye contact with a startlingly familiar set of brown eyes, Tony forgot to take note of the rest of his surroundings. He failed to realise that the two of them weren’t alone, missing the figure that cautiously snuck up behind him. He raised his hand for another hit, hoping to knock the man unconscious, but never had the chance to fire. All he saw was the slight spark in the man’s eyes before a heavy weight came down onto the back of his head. His limp body fell forwards but was caught before he could hit the ground. 

The man who’d first attacked him now held him gently in his arms, cursing at the sight of blood running down Tony’s neck. Steve wasn’t going to like that, at all.

“You didn’t need to do that. You had the syringe, that would have been enough.” He scolded the second man, who held a small handgun that was dripping in the same red that was now coating Bucky’s hands. 

“This is more practical, Soldier. I would have had to be much more precise with the needle in order…” The man drifted off as Bucky sent him a glare. He’d overstepped his place, but he didn’t have to be told that.

The situation wasn’t ideal, they’d had explicit instructions for Tony to remain unharmed, but they’d gotten him. Bucky just hoped that this would finally get Steve back on track. 

“You can explain that to the Captain.”

* * *

Steve could not help the large smile that had been etched onto his face for the past two hours. Looking before him, he almost couldn’t believe it. After four months of failed efforts, of long nights planning and the let-downs of his men, he finally had his Tony. 

Once he’d gotten over his original excitement of seeing the man being brought in, Steve had felt an uncontrollable rage at the sight of blood staining Tony’s hair and the back of his shirt. The thought of anyone else inflicting pain onto what was his had him demanding the head of the one responsible. Once the man had finally stepped forward, Steve had made sure to follow through with his word. Despite the man’s protests about proximity and convenience, Steve had simply asked him how close he had to get before he could blow the man’s brains out. Turns out, it wasn’t very close. 

But that was behind him. Now, he had his Tony, safe and under his watchful gaze where he’d make sure that nothing else could hurt him. Well, that wasn’t entirely true, since the tightness of the ropes securing him to the chair he was on, was severe enough to already be causing bruising. Steve hated the thought of causing Tony any greater discomfort, but he knew that in the short-term such measures were a necessity. A little bit of pain to prevent Tony from seriously hurting himself was enough to justify this decision to Steve.

A little sigh of contentment slipped past his lips as he reached out a hand to touch Tony’s cheek. The man must have shaven recently because his jawline was smooth as Steve ran his fingers lightly across it. Tony must have been getting closer to awareness since the touch caused a small shiver to wrack his body. The movement only made Steve happier, seeing the kind of reaction that he had to his touch. It made him feel good knowing that no one else would be able to touch him so intimately anymore. The gauntness in Tony’s cheeks made Steve frown and take a mental note of his incapability to look after himself. Steve would do everything in his power to make sure that Tony was staying healthy under his care. No more sleepless nights and skipping meals, Steve would nurse him back into a healthy lifestyle. 

Steve continued to trace his fingers around, frowning as he felt the dressing of the wound behind his ear. Pressing gently on it, and despising the small whimper it caused, Steve felt his possessiveness flare up.

“Shh…I’ve got you, sweetheart. That man won’t come near you ever again. I dealt with him the same way I’ll deal with anyone who dares to hurt you.” He cooed the words gently, before straightening up. He’d spent the past few hours doing nothing but stare at the man, and he’d continue for hours longer if he didn’t have other business to attend to. The knock on the door only made him more aware of his other responsibilities. He didn’t have to turn around to know who had entered, having called for Bucky about five minutes ago to replace him. 

“So, what’s your plan now? You’ve finally got him but he’s not going to just go along with what you say. Not for a long time, I’d expect.”

Steve knew there was a large degree of truth to his friend’s words, as much as he’d like to argue otherwise. Despite their intimacy before the whole Accords issue, they’d certainly lost the trust between them. Steve knew that it would take time and effort to rebuild it, but he was willing to sacrifice almost anything to make it possible. “We’ll let him wake up first, tell him what’s going on. _If_ he resists,” He pointedly ignored Bucky’s eye roll at that “then we’ll start on his treatment.”

What he had planned for Tony wasn’t going to be pleasant. Necessary, but definitely not pleasant. As much as he hoped that Tony would be understanding of everything, and quick to get over his anger, given his track record, Steve knew that was unlikely to happen.

“Alright, well I’ve got it from here.”

Steve heard the words but remained where he was, staring adoringly down at Tony. Even the way his hair had grown out and was now slightly tousled around his forehead had Steve’s protectiveness growing stronger. Tony was meant to be innocent; he’d have to keep him away from the business side of things to maintain that. Leaving him in the care of another, even if it was his most trusted companion was frightening though, almost to the point where Steve never wanted to let Tony out of his sight.

“Steve, I’m not gonna let anything happen to him. I’ll look after him.”

Steve turned his attention back to his friend. Bucky had managed to clean up after he’d dropped Tony off, no longer wearing the same bloodstained clothes as before. Steve was grateful, knowing the sight of Tony’s blood would only make it even harder to leave him. 

“You’ll alert me the moment anything changes. I mean that. I don’t want to miss him waking up because of your slacking off.”

“Hey! I got him back for you, didn’t I? Give me a little credit.”

Steve did give him credit, much more than he’d ever express. He would be eternally thankful to his friend who had made all of this possible. Despite Steve’s obvious obsession with finding Tony, Bucky had helped him. He’d reigned him in, backing him down from some of the crazier ideas he’d tried to implement in his attempts to get him back, and now had ultimately been the one who brought him to Steve. 

“Yeah, Buck, you did.” Steve came closer and grasped his friend’s good shoulder in a silent thanks. They exchanged a small smile at the old gesture, one they’d been doing since they were back in Brooklyn – although Steve had never quite been able to comfortably reach his friend’s shoulder at that time – before stepping away from each other.

“Now get back out there, you have an organisation to run. Tony will be safe, and I’ll make sure you get back here before he wakes up.”

Steve nodded at those words and made his way over to the door slowly. With one hand on the knob, he snuck a look back over the shoulder, powerless to stop the smile that found itself pulling his lips up once more.

Tony was back where he belonged, and it wouldn’t be long now before he realised that as well.


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this is unbeta'd so will come back to edit later, when it's not 2am and I'm not about to pass out.

Steve was almost running through the halls after receiving the message from Bucky, the rows off doors blurring as he made his way back to the room. The excitement was building under his skin, his veins almost vibrating as a result. The anticipation continued to push him faster and faster along his winding path. The only thing stopping him from breaking into a sprint was the countless amount of his men that he was passing on his way. Already, he was being given a fair few questioning glances, something he’d usually punish, making him hyperaware of the need to keep up appearances, but he would never forgive himself if he missed his Tony waking up. 

This moment coming up would be critical to Tony’s development here, and Steve wasn’t about to let anyone else be the first face he sees. This would be when they re-established their bond and would also be Tony’s first glimpse into his new life here. Steve hoped that he could be a reassuring presence, despite their recent history. There had definitely been a time when Tony had taken comfort in him, so Steve was sure that eventually, he’d be able to do so once more. His heart yearned for that to be the case, but his mind was busy reminding him that it was going to take a lot of hard work to make Tony understand what he was doing. 

He slowed his pace as he spotted the steel door that was now the only thing standing between him and Tony. They’d been keeping him in one of the interrogation rooms, but only until Steve felt confident moving him into his own quarters. He didn’t want to overwhelm him straight away, instead allowing him to adapt a bit more to his surroundings. Steve knew Tony well enough to be able to predict quite a violent reaction to his situation, and he wanted to make sure he wasn’t going to hurt himself. Therefore, it had been decided that they’d keep him there, under constant supervision.

Before entering the room, Steve made sure to slow his breathing, and almost nervously ran a hand through his hair. It had been a while since he’d been able to clean himself up, with how busy he had found himself whilst planning Tony’s capture. He’d been able to give himself a few quick fixes once he’d left Tony earlier, but he’d been quite active since then and was beginning to look a bit scruffy again. He really wanted to look his best for their big reunion. Tony deserved nothing less. The beard was a new addition since their last meeting, but he knew that Tony had a certain affinity for facial hair. There was also a large part of him that wanted to appear calm, and not add to any stress that Tony might already be feeling. That wasn’t exactly an easy feat, though, since a slight sheen of sweat was appearing on his palms, and his hands had a slight shake to them. 

Placing his thumb on the scanner next to the door, Steve had to pause for a moment before he could push the door open slowly. He almost growled as he took in the form of Bucky blocking his view of Tony. He was sure it wasn’t intentional, but it only amplified his frustration from having been away from him this long. Yes, it had only been about six hours since he’d left him alone with Bucky, but after over two years since their last interaction, one that ended in a way that made him hate himself, Steve didn’t want to have to wait a moment longer. He felt he deserved this after all the hard work he’d put into bringing Tony back.

Bucky, upon hearing the door opening behind him, quickly stepped back and made his way over to Steve. This cleared Steve’s view, and he was finally able to make out Tony’s small form slumped over in his chair as much as his restraints would allow. The fluorescent lighting did little to hide the thinness in the man’s face, probably only making it look worse. Whilst his eyelashes were still resting gently against his cheeks, eyes closed in slumber, Steve could make out the growing signs of awareness. His head was lolling around slightly, and every now and then he’d scrunch his eyes face up and let out a little moan. If he hadn’t realised that he was probably in some kind of pain, Steve might have found the whole scene endearing. He wasn’t so naïve though, and his heart clenched at the subtle signs of discomfort, trying to bury the self-hatred he felt at being the cause of it. Whilst it was never the plan for Tony to go down the way he did, the agent really should have stuck to using the drugs he’d been given, Steve knew he had to take at least some degree of responsibility for how things had panned out. 

“He’s been getting more restless over the past hour or so. Only now, he’s getting louder. Figured you wouldn’t want to be waiting any longer.”

Steve only nodded at Bucky’s words, too focused on the other man in the room. His mouth had dried out as his excitement grew. All he could think about was pulling Tony into his arms and never letting him go again. He’d make a mistake back in Siberia, not only hurting the man and breaking the trust between them, but also leaving him alone. He knew what solitude did to Tony, and as much as he hated to admit it, he knew it was his other relationships with the team he was building, namely the Parker kid, that had kept him going. He’d thrown himself into new projects to help them out, always making sure that he was needed by someone. This all came at the cost of neglecting himself, something that would need to be unlearnt.

Luckily, that was all going to change now; he wasn’t going to let history repeat itself. Tony wouldn’t need to rely on anyone else but him. He took a step towards the chair in the middle of the room, only just realising that he had still been standing in the doorway, the door hanging open. It fell shut with a reverberating thud once its path had been cleared. 

“Do you need me here until he wakes up?”

Steve mulled the question over in his mind. Yes, he was aware that Tony would likely be violent when he finally came to, but he was currently tied to a chair and locked in a room that could only be opened with an approved thumbprint – it went without saying that Tony’s print had not been approved. Steve figured that Bucky was putting himself out there more for emotional support, rather than physical backup. This was going to be the first time Tony had seen him in years, and it would be as the head of an organisation the man had been dedicated to destroying, and as the one who had just kidnapped him after four months of repeated attacks. It was obvious that it wasn’t going to be the smooth reunion that Steve had originally hoped for, and would no doubt hurt when he had to break it to Tony what exactly was going on. Deep down, he’d probably appreciate someone being there to provide some moral support.

Then, Steve remembered that Bucky had been up all night for the assignment and had then spent the past six hours keeping a watch on Tony. That’s not to mention the long days leading up to Tony’s kidnapping. Bucky had to be half-way to insanity with the lack of sleep he’d been getting, and Steve knew it was on him to make sure that he was getting the rest he needed. After all, Bucky had spent so long trying to make Steve happy, beyond just the past few months attempting to get Tony, and Steve was going to have to start returning the favour.

“You should get some sleep; it’s been a long few days. I can handle this.”

“You sure?”

He peeked over his shoulder to see Bucky given him a doubtful look. As much as the lack of sleep was affecting Bucky, it had been even longer since Steve had gotten some decent rest. He’d tried, on several occasions, but the excitement and anticipation he had felt since Bucky had come up with their new plan had meant any attempt at sleep was bound to fail. He’d felt the fatigue, only moments ago when he’d still been dealing with the rest of his tasks for the day, but upon seeing Tony it all faded away. Whilst he thought he had a strong hold over his emotions, and an impassive mask to go with it, to Bucky he’d always been an open book.

“Yeah, Buck. I’m sure.”

Without so much as a word of agreement, Steve heard the door to the room creak open, only to fall shut moments later. Finally, alone with Tony once more, Steve felt a small smile tugging on his lips. It would all be worth it in the end.

* * *

Tony slowly felt awareness creeping into each corner of his mind. First, it was the feeling of heaviness that was contrasted by a certain tightness around certain parts of his body. Next came the sounds, a distinct background humming that he couldn’t place, and at one point a few murmured voices. This was followed by a bright light that was pushing against his eyelids, and almost blinding him whenever he tried to push through the fog in his head. Now though, now he could feel his pain receptors awakening, signalling key parts of his body that were throbbing and aching. His head, primarily, was in near excruciating pain, causing him to groan at certain moments. It radiated from a point behind his right ear, pushing against his skull and sending blood pounding next to his ears. There was also a burning sensation along his arms and a dry ache at the back of his throat. 

He couldn’t place a single one of his injuries, and whenever he tried the pain only intensified. The last thing he remembered was dropping Peter back at his apartment after a long weekend at the compound. He was pretty certain of the memories that were telling him that Peter had gotten home fine, an image of him running up to the entrance of the building with a giddy smile on his face. But if that was the case, Tony couldn’t place the events that could have led him into his current situation. 

Pushed by the desire to make sense of his predicament, Tony forced his eyes open with an extended moan of pain. They only stayed open for a few moments, only giving him a blurry glimpse at the bare room around him, before he had to blink heavily against the _still_ irritating light. He smacked his cracked lips together as he attempted to reopen his lids.

A quick shuffling at his side had Tony’s neck snapping to his right, purely on reflex. He regretted instantly though, with a sharp singe of pain erupting from the spot at the base of his neck. He couldn’t stop the whine that left him at the reaction his body had to the movement.

“Hey, hey. Shhhh. You’ve got to stop moving or you’re going to hurt yourself.”

Even though his vision was slowly starting to clear now, the voice was coming from beside him, and Tony wasn’t willing to risk any other sudden or major movements. If anything, the pain in his head was getting worse without the extra triggers. Therefore, he was unable to see the owner of the voice, although somewhere in his mind he thought it sounded slightly familiar. He couldn’t deny that it was comforting, and the tension he didn’t even realise was there began to bleed out of his shoulders. 

A warm hand came up to his neck, the thumb rubbing gently across his cheek. He couldn’t help turning his face slowly into the open palm, wanting more of the soothing touch. The palm was slightly calloused, obviously a sign of hard, physical labour, but Tony only found that more calming, reminding him of a set of hands he hadn’t felt in a long time. 

A hearty chuckle had his eyes widening from their drooped position. He’d almost forgotten about his situation, but looking down, he took in the ropes wound tightly around his arms and around his torso, fastening him to an uncomfortable wooden chair. There were similar restraints around his lower shins. The sight snapped him out of his stupor, his head moving away from the warm touch reluctantly. He silently reprimanded himself for such wanton behaviour in his current dilemma. He needed to focus on getting out of here. His arms tensed, testing out the strength of the ropes by pulling roughly against them. Though he was more aware of his surroundings, he was still swamped by confusion that was increasing his panic. 

“Hey, Tony. Relax.”

This time, upon hearing the same voice, Tony felt a dawning realisation. That voice was way too familiar this time for him to brush it off. It was still as calming as before, but a bit deeper and huskier than the one in his memories. Turning ever so gently towards the voice, Tony managed to catch a glimpse of its source. Almost instantly, he felt his breath carried away from him, and an immense relief sweep through his body. 

“Steve?” 

Whoever it was that took him, must have taken Steve as well. It wouldn’t be the first time that they’d been kidnapped together. The man was crouched over beside where Tony sat, a look of deep concern etched into his features. He was looking a bit scruffier than he did last time he’d seen him, his face hardened, yet his eyes still holding a softness – one that Tony didn’t realise was reserved only for him. His face was also half covered by a thick beard now, hiding his chiselled jawline. Tony would have been upset by that, but he couldn’t hide the fact that the beard was attractive, maturing Steve’s appearance. 

Most importantly, at that moment, however, was the fact that Steve was unrestrained and had the ability to move around freely. That was probably down to his super strength, even though Tony couldn’t make out any other chairs that he might have been bound to. If he’d been in the right mindset, that might have been a cause of concern – because why would someone be stupid enough to leave quite probably the strongest man on the planet without proper restraints – but Tony was too focused on the desperation he felt towards getting out of the room he was trapped in, and getting rid of the ropes that were blistering his skin.

“Steve, oh, thank god, I’ve never been so relieved to see your annoyingly perfect face. You’ve gotta get me out of here.”

Only Steve didn’t move. His brows furrowed, and he gave Tony a strange look of pity, but he didn’t move to help him out of his restraints. He didn’t so much as flinch either, which set off a little warning somewhere in the back of his mind.

“Steve, c’mon. Get me out of this fucking chair.”

Steve finally moved then, bringing his hand, which had fallen onto Tony’s shoulder, up to his forearm, trying to calm Tony’s growing panic by rubbing up and down gently. Even though it felt kind of nice, it didn’t help much, with Tony’s breath quickening and his movements growing more frantic. 

“I can’t do that, Tony,” Steve sighed almost sadly. 

“Stop fucking with me, Steve! I know we’re not exactly in a good place right now, but we can talk about that once we’re out of here.” When all he received was silence and more pitying looks, Tony gulped anxiously. “Steve, please. You don’t understand. Someone’s been after me for months now. I don’t know what their endgame is, but it can’t be anything good. Please, just help me out of here.”

By now he was thrashing angrily in his chair, tears of frustration pooling in his eyes and threatening to spill forth down his reddened cheeks. The ropes dug in further, smearing small amounts of blood against his skin. The pain was hardly noticeable though, with adrenaline coursing thick through his veins. 

“Shhh Sweetheart, you need to calm down.”

Tony tried to shrug the hand off his shoulder, realising that he wasn’t going to get any help from Steve. Looking around quickly, Tony began to assess his surroundings. On the assumption that Steve wouldn’t impede his escape, even if he refused to aid it, there didn’t seem to be anyone else in the room that would stop him. A blinking red light in two of the ceiling corners indicated that someone was probably watching them, but they didn’t seem to have an audio recording component to them. That was good. The finger-print activated lock on the door was not so good, so he was going to have to find a way around that. The wall beside him had a long mirror covering its top half, presumably a two-way glass installation – one that Tony thought was unnecessary considering the cameras but that really wasn’t important right now. What _was_ important was getting out of this hellhole.

He brought his gaze back to the man beside him, still not quite understanding his reluctance to help. Yes, there was the situation in Siberia where they’d tried to kill each other- and to be honest, Tony had come out of that a lot worse off than Steve did – but the whole letter and phone delivery afterwards had Tony thinking that there was some degree of forgiveness between them. Evidently, that wasn’t the case. His heart ached at the memory of the relationship the two had once shared, that had all come crashing down over the period of a couple of days. Since it was the first time he’d seen him in two years, the rush of feelings was almost dizzying and it was a concerted effort to push them down and try to focus on the tasks at hand. 

He raked his eyes over the man, taking in his beard once more, and noting the increased muscles along his arms, bulging against the tight fabric of his suit. For a brief moment, Tony wondered what it would be like to be wrapped up in them, knowing firsthand the safety and security they could provide. He had to quickly remind himself that as comforting as those arms could be, he also knew first-hand that they could be dangerously strong when pummelling a shield into his head and chest over and over again. 

He quickly moved on, wanting to leave that memory as far behind as possible, and began taking in more of Steve’s appearance. He was no longer wearing his traditional red, white and blue suit that they’d designed together, a sleek black one taking its place. He traced his eyes over it, appreciating the fit – in strictly a professional manner, from one designer to another – before his eyes found the red accents along the front of it. At first, he thought that was weird, considering this appeared to be a stealth suit. 

But then, his eyes caught the symbol in the middle of the chest. Tony felt his stomach fall away as he took in the all too familiar insignia. 

“What the fuck is that?”

* * *

Steve knew that the situation was heading downhill fast. There hadn’t been much of an initial calm period like he’d been expecting. Instead, Tony had almost instantly begun to struggle against his bonds and plan a mode of escape. Steve had really been hoping that his brain wouldn’t start-up again that quickly, that he could try and subdue the man before he got too worked up, but it was clear now that his moment had passed. 

He could see Tony’s eyes raking over the room, lingering on the cameras and the lock on the door. He almost smirked at the calculating look on his face, no doubt forming a plan to get out of the room, probably hoping he’d be able to convince Steve to join him. He could feel the shift of attention, from the room back to him, following the chocolate eyes as they pinpointed several of his features. The small, self-conscious part of him hoped that Tony liked his updated appearance, but he quickly shook the thought off. He had to focus right now; the rest would come later. Still concentrating on the man’s gaze, Steve shifted awkwardly as the man zoned in on his arms, and then his chest. It came as a bit of a shock when Tony suddenly jerked in his seated position, a loud gasp falling from his lips.

“What the fuck is that?”

Steve looked down himself and almost cursed at his stupidity. He was still wearing his suit. His HYDRA branded, obvious-as-fuck suit. To be fair, he hardly wore anything else these days, but he’d planned on changing for this occasion. It’d slipped his mind once he’d gotten the message from Bucky, too focused on getting back to Tony and not risking the possibility of missing this moment. A casual approach definitely would have helped this all run smoother, but obviously, he was now going to have to improvise a little bit. So now, here he found himself dressed in the most obvious symbol of his new allegiance when he was trying to gently break the news. 

“Tony, listen-”

“-Because that looks a hell of a lot like a fucking HYDRA logo, except that clearly can’t be the case since you literally sacrificed yourself to rid the world of them-”

“-Tony”

“-more than once, might I add. So, why the hell are you parading around in one of their-”

“-Tony, please.”

“Did they get to you?” The worry in Tony’s tone shifted towards him at that, reassessing the situation. “Was it Barnes? Steve, please, I can get you out of here.” 

Steve almost growled at the mention of Bucky, the same protectiveness he felt in Siberia flaring up again before he reminded himself that Tony simply wasn’t in the right mind, that it was his job to set things straight. He only took a small amount of joy in having to do so. 

Ironically, it had been Steve that had to convince Bucky when he first set forth his plan. His friend had been reluctant to rebuild the organisation that spent so long torturing and manipulating him. Steve felt the same way but recognised the opportunity they had to begin their mission with a whole network already set-up. Of course, they’d had to spend more than a year asserting their leadership, and culling those who disagreed, but where they were now justified the use of the HYDRA branding. 

“It’s not like that, Sweetheart.” Steve tried to ignore the way that Tony flinched at the nickname. 

“Not like what? What’s going on, Steve?” Tony was almost hysterical now, trying desperately to piece together different scenarios in his mind. Steve could see the confusion and the anxiety that was brewing within him, only fuelling his panic.

“They didn’t ‘get to me’. The HYDRA you knew _is_ gone. They fell along with SHIELD. It’s a different organisation now one that-”

“-No.”

“Tony, I promise you, HYDRA aren’t the bad guys anymore. Schmidt’s gone, so are Zola and Pierce. They’re all gone. HYDRA has been rebuilt, and we’re making the world a better place.”

“No,” Tony growled the world, restarting his struggles as the situation began to dawn on him. 

Steve eyed his arms wearily, acknowledging the fact that Tony was probably starting to rub them raw with all of his struggling. He hated how tight they had to be, but Tony was proving exactly why that had to be the case. He knew never to underestimate the capabilities of one Tony Stark, even if it meant short-term harm. He’d have to remind himself later to get him some balm though because he’d be feeling those burns tomorrow – and probably for the rest of the week too. 

“I know this is a lot to process, but please just stop fighting this. You trusted me once Tony, I need you to do so again. You just have to learn to see things my way, and then you’ll understand. You’ll be able to see that things are better this way.”

“You’re not the same person anymore!” Tony shouted angrily. Whilst his struggling had temporarily stopped, he was now shaking heavily. His voice dropped to a whisper as he continued. “You can’t be.”

“Tony…”

“No, you’re not the man I knew back then. Him, I could trust. But you…yeah well, that’s just not going to happen.”

Steve’s chest tightened painfully as Tony spoke, his words breaking through his tough exterior, though he tried his hardest not to let it show. He almost preferred the struggling from moments ago. He’d been scared that Tony would react this way but hadn’t done much to prepare himself for it – so much for not underestimating him. He just kept reminding himself that all of this was only temporary. Tony would come around eventually. He had to. 

“You just can’t see it yet. But that’s alright, I’m going to help you.”

“You’re insane.”

“On the contrary, I’ve never felt saner.”

Steve stood up at that, finally moving out of his squatted position. Though it didn’t happen often, he could feel his muscles cramping from an extending time in the crouch. As happy as he was to have Tony back with him, the whole situation was physically and mentally draining him. He could feel all of his patience slipping away, and he felt moments away from snapping. That wasn’t something that he wanted Tony to see. He’d probably only hurt him and make him resent him only further. At this point, anyway, they were probably only going to go in circles with Steve trying to convince Tony and Tony blatantly refusing to see reason. He turned his back on the man and tapped a few buttons on the band that wrapped around his wrist. 

“You should rest; you’ve had to take in a lot today.” At that moment, Steve couldn’t be entirely sure whether the statement applied more to him or Tony. He could feel all of those hours without sleep creeping up on him. 

“Like hell I will,” Tony snarled back at him. 

“Oh, Tony. That wasn’t a suggestion.”

As if on cue, two firm knocks echoed off the thick steel door. Without looking back at Tony, though he sensed the flinch he gave at the sound, Steve strode over to the room’s only entrance, making a show of placing his thumb against the pad, before a green light signalled the door was unlocked. He hadn’t thought to allow anyone access to the room other than himself and Bucky at this stage, hence the knocking and the same went for his private rooms as well. 

On the other side of the door stood a sharp-looking female agent, her gaze carefully lowered as she held out what he’d called her up for. Steve silently thanked the agent for her demeanour, not knowing if he would have been able to deal with any further insolence that day. Wordlessly he grabbed the syringe out of her hands and turned back into the room. He faintly heard her measured footsteps disappearing down the hall as the door fell shut. He made a mental note to find out who the agent was, to keep an eye on her and check her potential. 

For now, though, he turned back to Tony, who’s eyes had zeroed in on the item in his hand. He began to shake his head frantically as Steve approached, trying to lean back in his chair. Steve was thankful, at that moment, for thinking to drill the chair into the floor, preventing Tony from tipping backwards as he tried to distance himself. 

“Stay away from me.”

Steve only hushed him gently as he came to a stop in front of him. Reaching out a hand, he cupped Tony’s neck gently, a favourite move of his, before pushing his head back tenderly. This had the dual effect of giving Steve direct eye contact with Tony, whilst also exposing the side of his neck. Whilst the fear and apprehension in his eyes were obvious, Steve could also detect the underlying rebelliousness that was characteristic in all of this. As much as he wanted Tony to be completely his, a small part of him hoped he retained that trait – maybe just to a lesser extent.

“It’s alright, Tony. Just relax for me.”

That had the opposite effect, with Tony only tensing up further as he brought the needle closer. Making sure they still held each other’s gaze, Tony winced slightly as Steve gently pushed the needle into his soft skin, injecting its contents slowly. It was somewhat of a power play, reminding Tony of how little control he had over the situation, whilst also remaining calm and gentle with him. 

Slowly, Tony’s eyelids began to flutter shut, as much as the man tried to resist it. Probably out of defiance more than anything else, he held Steve’s gaze with a glare, his jaw set as he inevitably began to drift off. Steve remained in position until he felt his body go limp. His eyes softened at the sight, the stress lines in Tony’s face fading away once more, his jaw slackening and his head lolling into his palm. 

The surge of emotions flooding through him just reminded him that eventually, this would all be worth it.


End file.
